


Creep Dodging

by Magpiie



Category: American Gods (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Fluff, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-04
Updated: 2019-12-04
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:27:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21673678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magpiie/pseuds/Magpiie
Summary: Mia suggested a Bad Date AU. This isn't exactly that but, well. Sort of.
Relationships: Laura Moon/Mad Sweeney
Comments: 3
Kudos: 34





	Creep Dodging

"Hi, we're on a date now." The woman who unexpectedly slid into the seat opposite him was smiling a little desperately, and Sweeney regarded her with a guarded confusion as she set two drinks down in front of her and slid one towards him.  
"What?"  
"I need you to pretend we're on a date," she explained with that same little smile, tilting her head to one side and wrinkling her nose in an odd pantomime of flirting. Her tone was overly bubbly and sweet as she continued. "I ran into a guy I went to college with at the bar, and he's being a real creep! So I panicked, and told him I was on a date. Is he still looking over here?"  
"Uhh…" Sweeney glanced casually over his shoulder. Some guy at the bar was indeed staring at them. When they made eye contact, his eyes widened and he turned away. "Not anymore." By the time Sweeney turned back to the stranger at his table, she looked utterly transformed: her smile had fallen into a grimace and she hunched her shoulders defensively. She was still pretty with that grumpy little scowl but now she also seemed a little darker, perhaps a little more interesting. Sweeney quirked an eyebrow at her but she wasn't paying attention to him. Instead, she was picking unamusedly at the decorative garnish on the lip of her glass.  
"Thank God for that. Ugh, some guys can't just take no for an answer." She lifted the drink to her lips, hesitated, lowered it, then nodded to the glass in front of him. "You can keep that, by the way. Long island iced tea. Consider it a thank you." He picked it up and tilted it towards her in a small toast.  
"Sláinte." He eyed her as they both took a long drink, then cleared his throat. "So… What made you pick me?"  
"Huh?"  
"For your date," he grinned, and she fixed him with a withering stare.  
"You were sitting alone." She paused, as if she might think of something else, then shrugged. "That's pretty much it."  
"Maybe I was sitting alone because I'm a creep too. You didn't think it through."  
"That's true," she said slowly, straightening up warily, and he chuckled and smiled gently in a way that made her shoulders relax again.  
"College, eh? What'd you study?"  
"Creative writing."  
"Oh? And what do you do with a creative writing degree?" She swallowed and pursed her lips for a moment.  
"Waitressing." He snorted with laughter and nodded, leaning back heavily in his seat. "Before that I was a croupier."  
"Aye, that sounds about right."  
"Oh fuck off, I'm working on it. It's a competitive industry."  
"Yeah, yeah, alright. I barely even finished school, so maybe I'm just jealous."  
"And what do you do?"  
"Own a gym," he replied, taking a sip of his drink. "Fighting gym. Are you drinking the same as me? There's so much fucking alcohol in this."  
"Oh, I'm sorry! Would you like me to get you an orange juice?" She pouted mockingly at him and he sighed.  
"You should have just spoken to your man at the bar for a little while and I'm sure he'd have been happy to leave you alone."  
"Ha," she spat sarcastically, glancing darkly over at the bar. "He's still here."  
"What's your name? You never said." The glance she gave him was somewhere between suspicious and irritated.  
"Why are you asking all these questions?"  
"You said it was a date." When she folded her arms and lifted her eybrows, he held his hands up in defeat. "Fine, I'll just sit here in silence and get drunk."  
"I mean... Isn't that what you were doing before I sat down?"  
"Yup. And it was blissful."

A silence did settle between them, as she chewed her lip and he pretended not to notice her at all.  
"My name's Laura," she said finally.  
"People call me Sweeney," he replied, holding his hand out.  
"Weird name." She shook his hand.  
"Thank you." He leaned forward and rested his chin theatrically in one hand. "So. What's your sign?"  
"Is that your pick-up line?" Laura broke into a giggle and lifted a hand to cover her mouth, and his eyes softened as he watched her.  
"That's what people say on dates," he muttered matter-of-factly, and she shook her head and tried to quiet her laughter.   
"You must not go on many dates."  
"Hmm, that's probably fair." He lifted his chin and smirked down at her. "Usually we just go straight to bed."  
Laura could feel herself blushing and forced out another laugh to try and distract from the fact. All of her intentions of a quiet night drowning her sorrows were starting to evaporate. "Fuck. You are a creep."  
"Well, I tried to warn you. Your friend still here?"  
"Huh." She scanned the room. "Looks like he's gone."  
"Hm. Guess you're safe."  
"Guess so."

In the corner, a man with a guitar started singing. Laura sat for a few moments, feeling like she should probably go but not quite wanting to get up just yet. Finally, she drained the last of her drink and lifted her chin.  
"You could probably do some with practice for the whole dating thing. One more drink?"


End file.
